HC Deb 18 December 1990 vol 183 cc139-40W
Mr. Dobson

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list any opinion surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of his Department since 1 January 1985 giving the date and purpose of each survey.

Miss Widdecombe

[holding answer 17 December 1990]: Details of most surveys conducted by, for or on behalf of the Department are contained in the DHSS yearbooks of research and development 1985–88 and in the Department of Health yearbook of research and development 1989, copies of which are in the Library. Opinion surveys have also been conducted as part of the following customer research activities:

Survey Dale of Fieldwork Purpose
1. Public Attitudes to Social Secuirty January 1985 Commissioned as part of the background to the review of social security to add to and bring up-to-date information already available from past surveys about people's views of social security. Details published in Cmnd 9519
Family Credit Campaign Evaluation April 1989—March 1990 Evaluation of the Family Credit Campaign
Attendance Allowance Medical Examination February—March 1990 To measure claimants' views of the Attendance Allowance Medical examination
Disability Benefit Information April 1990 Evaluation of Disability Benefit Information Freeline trials
Community Charge Benefit Leaflets April 1990 To check understanding of benefit in relation to new leaflet and press advertisements
Benefit target groups April 1990 Research in relation to providing information
DSS Advertising April 1990 Testing of telephone directories as suitable media for DSS advertising of local office addresses
Family Credit Advertising April 1990 Evaluation of Family Credit advertising in Child Benefit order books and/or order book information awareness
Methods of Payment of Benefits November—December '90 To assess awareness of and attitudes towards methods of payment of Retirement Pension, Child Benefit and Income Support